


Prince(ss) Charming

by alwayswaitingforsomething



Category: Ever After High
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Apple White Needs a Hug, F/F, Kisses, POV Apple White, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:07:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwayswaitingforsomething/pseuds/alwayswaitingforsomething
Summary: Apple and Darling talk after Apple wakes up from her enchanted sleep.Written for Comfortember using prompts #1 and #22 Rescue and Kisses (romantic or platonic)
Relationships: Darling Charming/Apple White
Comments: 2
Kudos: 61
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	Prince(ss) Charming

Apple felt good. She felt relaxed. She didn't feel relaxed often, always trying to keep up the Perfect Princess façade, always pretending she felt for Daring what she really felt for Darling. _My predestined princess_ , Apple thought, _How nice that sounds_. She thought she heard someone- _Raven-_ her brain registered, but she couldn't make out what Raven was saying. She sounded sad, guilty even. Why should she be sad when everything feels so calm? Apple wondered. Then there was a warm head shaped weight beside her who sounded a lot like Raven. She must have moved. _Why is my brain so slow today? I'm usually quiet smart,_ thought Apple. 

Then the weight was gone, and everything was silent again. 

Apple didn't know how long it had been since Raven-left? Did she go poof since is wasn't her that gave Apple the poisoned apple? When was Darling- _no, no_ -Daring going to wake her up? She had to-had to do...something. There was something Apple was forgetting, something so very important. But what? And who had given her the apple? Raven? Yes, it must have been. She must have been telling an unconscious Apple about her success and then left; that was what she heard earlier! Yes, it all made sense. Now she just had to wait for Daring, and her happily ever after would begin. _Yes..._

Apple felt something cold and unpleasant on her face and hand. Then she heard wailing and then nothing. 

Warmth. Apple felt warmth on her face, and something sweet on her mouth. Apple awoke, gasping for air as if she had been choking. Which, apparently, she had. Darling was beaming at her, looking at Apple like Daring looked at himself; with so much love Apple thought she might burst from how happy it made her feel. Speaking of..."Daring?" She croaked out. Her voice was scratchy and her throat hurt a bit. Darling's face fell, but she recovered quickly, helping Apple out of her coffin. Her friends surrounded her, all fusing and crying, telling her how _glad_ and _relived_ they were that she was okay. Darling never left her side, and let Apple lean of her when she felt faint. "What happened? Where is Daring? And Raven?" 

"Apple," Darling said gently. "Raven she-she left. She made a deal with the Evil Queen to save us." Apple didn't know what to say. Raven did essentially the same thing she had-made a deal with someone they both knew to be worst of the worst because she thought that would save their world. Did she learn nothing from me? A part of Apple wondered. The majority of her brain was already planning how to get Raven back and defeat her mother. But part of her still lingered on Daring. He was the one to wake her, so where was he?

"Where is Daring?" Apple asked again. "He should be here, this is where our happily ever after starts." Her friends all looked to Darling, who was looking at the hilltop. There was Daring, sitting on the ground head in his hands while Cerise consoled him.

"Daring didn't wake you Apple." Whispered Darling. "I did." Apple gasped, tears streaming down her face. Not because she didn't want Darling to be hers, but because _Darling was meant to be hers_. It was all so overwhelming and quick and Apple didn't know what to do. Darling looked at her a little wistfully, as if Apple was something she wanted but couldn't have. _Daring never looked at me like that,_ she thought. The clearing was silent but Apple's brain was anything but. She needed to get away, be by herself. She needed time to think. 

"I-have-to go." She said, removing herself from Darling's arms, ignoring the crestfallen expression on Darling's face and the ache Apple felt to touch her again. She ran into the woods, not paying attention to where she was going. The pixies could help her get back to the clearing later. When Apple could run no more she stopped, panting, and fell heavily to the ground. 

_Darling was her predestined princess all along. Darling woke her. Darling was Apple's happily ever after._ And maybe...maybe that was a good thing. Apple had never loved Daring, and couldn't imagine a future with him where she was happy. And he had seemed quite taken with Cerise after Thronecoming. But with Darling...Apple had always felt drawn to her, even when she was pretending to be the White Knight. And she was a Charming, just a princess one not a prince. Apple could have her, and Darling could have Apple and they would rule together and- _Rule_. _Would_ they rule? Everyone had told her that Daring was her prince-would her mother let Apple take over if she knew he wasn't? If she knew Apple couldn't produce an heir to carry on the Snow White story? 

_"Now everyone can choose their destiny. Even you."_ Raven had told Apple that. And she was right. Apple was just as deserving of a happy ending-a _true_ happy ending-as anyone. Even if her mother didn't understand, even if it was slightly different than any other ending to the Snow White Tale. 

"Apple?" Darling. "Apple? I'm sorry, please, come back! We need to talk!" Apple ran to her princess, latching onto her and hugging her tight. "Apple? Are you alright?" She looked into Darling's striking blue eyes- _how had she never noticed them before?_ -and laughed half hysterically.

"I am now. I am now." Darling began stroking her back as Apple laughed-cried into her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Darling." Apple said. "I was just so overwhelmed and I didn't know what to do." 

"It's fine, I understand. Daring was pretty bent out of shape about not being your Prince Charming." 

"I think it's better that way. He can be with Cerise and I-" Apple cut herself off. She loved Darling, but did Darling love her? Apple had been choking, and Darling had performed CPR, not even a proper kiss. 

"And you?" Oh, to hex with it. If Apple wanted happiness, she was going to have to take risks.

"And I have a chance with you, if you'll have me." She blushed and wondered if she was ready for the answer-whatever it was. 

"You've always had me, Apple." Darling smiled sweetly, eyes filled with love that Apple hadn't seen from anyone else before. She leaned in, and they kissed, a real, proper kiss. Darling tasted as sweet as she smiled, and Apple could swear she felt magic like she had when she woke up. It was Apple's first kiss, and Darling's too she bet, and it couldn't have been any better. But there were other things that needed to be done, and they had forever-after to be together.

"Come on," Apple said quietly, taking Darling's hand. "We have a world to save." 


End file.
